Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced his commitment to the planning process in Los Angeles by proposing a program that would hire new planners and launch new planning efforts at the community level.
Josie Huang reports that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced an initiative to hire a 28 new city planners that will be tasked with updating the city's community plans.
"There are 35 of these blueprints, each one containing housing and transportation policy for one or several neighborhoods," explains Huang. "But many plans have been unchanged for decades, and Garcetti said they do not reflect the city's changing landscape and growing mass transit infrastructure."
The redoubling of efforts on community plans in Los Angeles follows a highly controversial initiative proposed for the March 2017 ballot, known as the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative. The article allows John Schwada, a spokesman for the initiative, a platform to respond to the mayor's proposal. According to Schwada, as paraphrased in the article, "the city's primary problem is not outdated community plans, but developers who try to build larger projects regardless of what the plans say by getting special exemptions from the city."
Huang provides additional details on the community plans proposal, which would cost $1.9 million in the first year and $4.2 million in subsequent years. "Garcetti said that he will direct planning staff to work on a dozen community plans at any given time," according to Huang.
FULL STORY: LA mayor answers backlash to 'mega-developments' with plan of his own
Los Angeles' Ballot Box Planning and Development Initiatives Leaders Discuss Impacts
Two major ballot initiatives would change the state of planning and development in L.A. As the housing and planning crisis reaches new levels, initiative leaders and land-use experts discuss how to create a viable path forward.
The Role of Planning in Fixing Los Angeles' Development Woes
Globe St. featured an exclusive interview with Gail Goldberg, executive director of the Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles Chapter, and former planning director of Los Angeles and San Diego.
DTLA 2040 Ready for Public Scrutiny in Los Angeles
Two community plan updates, to the Central City and the Central City North community plans, comprise the DTLA 2040 plan. DTLA 2040 is also the first showcase for the city's new zoning code system.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Understanding Road Diets
An explainer from Momentum highlights the advantages of reducing vehicle lanes in favor of more bike, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.
New California Law Regulates Warehouse Pollution
A new law tightens building and emissions regulations for large distribution warehouses to mitigate air pollution and traffic in surrounding communities.
Phoenix Announces Opening Date for Light Rail Extension
The South Central extension will connect South Phoenix to downtown and other major hubs starting on June 7.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service